


Love Potion Number 28

by jenguin



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Bemused Louis, Fate, Halloween, Herbalism, Leaf in the stream of creation, M/M, Paganism, Witchy Harry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-11-22 07:54:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20870783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenguin/pseuds/jenguin
Summary: Harry is a witch in search of the recipe for a soul mate.  Fate, however, has other ideas.





	Love Potion Number 28

Harry sits, staring mournfully out into the too-bright, too-hot sunshine. It’s hard to maintain a witchy aesthetic when it’s hotter than satan’s armpit. 

Nevertheless, he steels himself for the quest ahead. He has waited and dreamed for long enough. Before the end of this year, he was going to find love, even if it was via a love potion. The seasonal sadness had hit him hard this summer - between the woefully blue skies and the sound of people out having fun with their SIGNIFICANT OTHERS, he just had enough. 

Harry absent-mindedly strokes Tempest’s soft, black fur, her throbbing purring lulling Harry into a daydream where he imagines his future lover. Maybe coal black hair, eyes deep, dark and alluring. An aura of danger but with a kind heart, of course!

A ding! Snaps Harry out of his reverie as he goes to retrieve sweet-smelling cinnamon cookies from the oven. Admiring them, he wonders if he should add something more diabolical-looking before dropping them over to Mrs Cartwright next door. These look positively Martha Stewart, not satanic!

No, he decides, the power of these cookies is on the inside and he sincerely hopes their powers give the lovely lady some relief from the persistent aches and pains that her many years have gifted her with. 

He packages them up and grabs his “shopping list” before heading out the door. This is a serious list, one that will fulfill ALL of his hopes and dreams! With a straightening of his scarf and a donning of his overcoat, Harry braves the warm conditions to find the path to true love. 

“Harry, darling,” smiles Mrs Cartwright. “You shouldn’t have but thank you SO much. Your cookies really do make me feel better, dear. What do you put in them?”

“Eye of newt, dragon’s blood and a pinch of love!” laughs Harry, handing the box to the elderly lady. 

“Well these will go down VERY well with my great grandchildren later today, thank-you dear!”

“Oh, er, um ……. Just make sure they only have one each then, Mrs Cartwright, they’re all for you, you know and, um, you know, sugar is bad for kids!” he stutters out. 

“Of course, dear, of course! Now, what do you have planned for today? Off to the store?” she asks as she notices Harry’s wicker basket over his arm filled with tiny tools, vials and other mysterious items.

“Not, EX-actly, but a quest for sure!” he laughs. 

Harry waves good-bye to Mrs Cartwright as he begins his search. The search that would bring him love, happiness and everlasting fulfillment! Not that important. 

He walks briskly to the bus stop a few streets over and makes the short trip to the outskirts of the township of Cedar Hollow. 

His first stop is at the local graveyard. Smirking at the stereotype, Harry goes searching for the ingredient, stopping at the gravestones to inspect for the tiny lichen named “Heart’s Promise” that is meant to grow around the graves of someone whose soulmate is still alive. Harry’s heart leaps a little as he spies the tiny, flat, grey lichen and he sends his heartfelt thoughts of comfort towards the living soulmate before scraping off a small amount into a vial and places a posy of tiny violets as thanks. 

As he turns, he sees a small group of people walking towards him. 

“What are ya doin’, mate?” rasps a soft voice from the oldest of the group. 

“Oh, um, I’m putting flowers down on some of the graves.” Harry responds. “And you’re bringing those flowers?” he says, gesturing to all of the bunches of flowers in the hands of the 7 siblings, he can see that now. 

“Yeah ….” comes a somewhat watery reply. “It’s our mum’s birthday today.” he says, gesturing at the stone.

“She was and is, very loved. I’m sorry I caused you concern.” Harry says softly as he moves away, leaving the family to grieve in privacy. 

His next stop is a little glade of trees nearby. The instant cooling effect of the dense copse of trees immediately lightens Harry’s heart. The wood is dark and damp and Harry smiles softly as he seeks the pine tree that might house his next treasure. 

Harry inspects around the base of several trees, stopping periodically to listen to the birds or the buzz of insects nearby. “One day, “ he thinks. “My home will be in the middle of a wood like this!”

Moving around the base of the trees, he finally finds what he is looking for. The broken shell of a recently hatched baby bird. In particular, the Black-throated Amor Bird. The tiny shell pieces are a dark cream with large black splotches and he thanks the universe for the love that created this tiny life and gifted him with the shell. He picks up the pieces tenderly with tweezers he brought specifically for this reason and popped them in a new vial. 

He stands, for a moment, breathing in the ancient serenity of the wood and connecting with the ancestors that walked these paths.

“Doris! Ernie! Get back here!” calls a voice, snapping Harry out of his reverie and making him duck down on his haunches behind some ferns.

Harry hears footsteps through the ferns and leaves and his eyes catch two impish little faces, giggling as they run along the pathway nearby followed by a rapidly gaining man. The same man, in fact, who was just at the graveyard. 

“If you don’t stop and get back here right now, you two, I’ll tell Nan and there’ll be no sweets for you!”

That did the trick, the little cherubs stop with a dramatic flourish. “NOOO LOULOU! We be good! We no run ‘way! We playin’ hide-n-seek with Mumma!” cried the blonde-headed boy.

Loulou, as the kids called him, softened his expression and wrapped them up with a warm hug and tears in his eyes.

“How about we play Hide-n-Seek back at Nan’s house later, ok? It’s a bit dangerous here.”

“Ok, Achoo,” said the little red-headed angel, offering her hand to her brother, Harry guessed. “We play later and tell Mumma stories?”.

“So many Mumma stories, Dori!” said the young man softly.

Harry’s eyes filled with tears at the sight of this beautiful interaction even as his heart ached at the story behind this family who had obviously lost their beloved mum. He drew a quick sigil of comfort and strength in the air and blew it towards the trio as they walked away, out of the wood. 

After a few moments of contemplation, Harry steeled himself to continue his journey. With luck, his potion would bring him the kind of love that produced a beautiful family and love that endured through the ages.

His next ingredient would be easy to find but a little dangerous to retrieve. Harry headed towards the main road. He had selected a spot that was quite straight so that he could see in both directions as he began his search for Ironroot, thusly named because it could endure in the toughest of conditions. It’s unmistakable red flowers and prickly stem would be easy to spot in the dirt by the roadside, he thought. 

As he approached the road, a soft misting rain started, creating a rainbow in the sky above. Harry stood, with arms outstretched towards the beautiful flashes of colour, letting the soft rain form droplets on his eyelashes as he gave thanks for the gift of water and for the promise of the rainbow. 

He was so lost in his worship of nature that he didn’t hear the approaching car until the blare of the horn made him leap backwards with a start. He tumbled over his own feet and landed heavily in the ditch by the roadside. He raised himself up, carefully, inspecting himself. No, nothing injured ……...except ……… OW …….. What was that sticking into him? 

Before he could investigate further, the car that almost brought him to his untimely end had reversed back and Harry realised it was, again, the family from the graveyard and forest in a very fancy Range Rover (which was probably necessary with 7 people!).

“Jesus, fuck, mate, I nearly hit ya!” blurted out the driver (Achoo? Loulou?)

“I’m so dreadfully sorry, “ began Harry. “I wasn’t looking, I’m really embarrassed.” 

“Are you ok?” the man continued as he was joined by 4 girls of various ages, two obviously twins. 

Harry spun around from side to side. “I …. I THINK so?” but as he moved the prickling intensified. “OW! I think I sat on something!”

“Turn around, lemme look” said the man. “Oh, mate, you have some kinda thorny week stuck on your ...um.. Arse!”

Harry, blushing mightily to the roots of his hair, he was sure, tried in vain to reach the offending prickle but to no avail. 

“Here, let me.” grumbled the man as he reached forward and gingerly removed the spiky plant from Harry’s pants. It took a few attempts as the man kept getting spiked himself but after a few attempts and QUITE a few giggles from the sisters, he was finally free.  
It was no surprise to Harry that the weed, once he saw it in the man’s hand, was in fact the Ironroot. 

“Thank you so much, ummm, ……?”

“Louis. And these are my sisters Lottie, Felicite, Phoebe and Daisy. The two little monsters yelling the background are Doris and Ernie.”

Harry offered a little smile and a wiggly-fingered wave towards the car.

“I’m Harry and thank you for not running me over and also for removing my little friend there!” replied Harry as he held out his hand for the spiky weed. 

Louis handed it over slowly and watched with disbelief as Harry popped it into his basket. 

“Odd!” he thought, but then shook his head. “Well, we must be off, we have a lunch date, don’t we girls?” The girls nodded and started to walk back to the car. 

“Thanks again, Louis!” Harry smiled brightly. 

Louis hesitated for just a second, causing Harry to ask, “Is there something on my face?”

“Oh, uh, no …… you ……. It’s just …… your eyes, they’re VERY green.”

“Oh yes, it’s because Samhain is approaching, it’s Mabon’s last gift for me, the connection’s last gasp!” states Harry, without thinking really. His eyes snapped back to reality from his musings of the Wheel to Louis’ blue eyes boring into his own. 

“You’re a Yule, I see.” Harry smiles. 

“Yule?”

“Yes, a winter baby. Devoted, protective, driven by love.”

It was Louis’ turn to turn crimson as he felt himself get lost in the green of odd-Harry’s eyes. What on earth was he ON about.

“ACHOOOOOO! Hurry!!! Nanny waiting!” came a voice that snapped the tether between the two.

“Oh, yeah, right. I have to be off. Seeya Harry, be careful yeah?”

“I will Louis, have a wonderful day. May the Lady’s love protect and comfort you.”

Louis gapes, open mouthed at the strange boy by the roadside as he makes his way back to his family. Harry lifts his hand in farewell as they drive away.

Harry smiles to himself at the encounter. “I am a leaf on the stream of creation”, he chuckles to himself. 

Ok, now for the final ingredient - he has everlasting love, family love, strength in love. That leaves only one more element. Passion. With a spring in his step, he sets off towards the local fields where he knew he’d find what he needs. 

Stepping carefully through FAR too much cow dung, Harry wonders why his ingredient couldn’t be found in a more sweetly-smelling surrounding. Ah well, the universe doesn’t work like that, everything is connected, even this diabolical cow poo and the mushroom that relies on it to grow. 

Soon enough, Harry spies the tall spike of the fungus through the grass. Lover’s Navel was so named because of the pink whorl at its centre and it’s hypnotic attraction to butterflies. It’s nothing to see a field full of fluttering movement when a troop of new Navels appears. It’s a sight to delight even the most cold-hearted of people, Harry thinks. 

Harry selects a rosy pink specimen and cuts the stem carefully, shaking the cap slightly to release some spores which will regrow and replace the one he’s taken. 

He inspects his surroundings carefully before flinging himself down on the ground, smiling brightly, almost with tears in his eyes. He’s done it, he’s found everything he needs. His future starts today, he will find the love of his life with this potion and his heart will finally be full. 

Harry carries his precious cargo back to the bus stop and waits for the next service, drinking in the change of season and shivering slightly as the afternoon sun weakens quickly. 

There’s a spring in his step as he returns to his home and he almost misses Mrs Cartwright’s call as he walks past her door. 

“Harry, oh Harry! Love you MUST come and meet my great grand children! They positively LOVED your sugar cookies, the sugar high has sent them QUITE giggly!”

Harry bites his lip a little as he forces out a smile and walks up her stairs while she’s talking with more animation than he’d ever seen. He follows her towards an explosion of sound not usually heard in the old lady’s home and there he sees, draped and seated on every surface of her living room, the same family he’s run into all day!

Harry and Louis both smile in recognition as Lottie gasps, “It’s YOU! Lou! It’s HIM!” She nudges her brother in the arm and Louis shoots her a murderous look. 

“I can’t believe you live near here!” laughs Louis. “We could have given you a lift instead of almost running you over!”

“Oh no, Louis, that’s ok. I had things to do anyway.” Harry says, gesturing to where his precious basket usually sat on his arm and realising he left it on the porch. 

A cacophony of chat follows about how they are visiting their Nan on their Mum’s birthday, as they do every year and they start talking about the hilarious and beautiful memories they have of their mum. 

Harry watches Louis’ crinkle-eyed retellings of stories he had obviously told MANY times before and the siblings’ rapt attention as they drink their tea and snack on sandwiches. He feels absolutely captivated by the boy’s animated retellings and his infectious laugh. He could, he thinks, just sit and watch what he’s like forever!

“Would anyone like another one of Harry’s sugar cookies?” asked Mrs Cartwright.

At this, Louis stopped mid-sentence and stared wide-eyed. “Um, YOU made the cookies Harry?”

“Y-y-yes?” replied Harry, sensing some tension in Louis’ tone. 

“Can I chat to you for a second? About the …..recipe?” 

They move to another room as Louis grips Harry’s shoulders and snorts, “YOU are the one who gave my Nan, AND me and my sisters, WEED COOKIES?”


End file.
